Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

Hazrat Awf narrates that when Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) would marry off any of his daughters or any girl from among his relatives, he would say to her husband: "I marry her to you on the condition that you will either keep her with kindness (emsaak bima'roof) or release her with goodness (tasreeh bi-ihsaan)."

When Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) arranged the marriage of a girl, he would stipulate the condition to the husband of either keeping her with kindness (emsaak bima'roof) or releasing her with goodness (tasreeh bi-ihsaan).

Whenever Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) conducted someone’s marriage, he would say: I marry you on the condition that Allah Almighty has stated {إمْسَاکٌ بِمَعْرُوفٍ ، أَوْ تَسْرِیحٌ بِإِحْسَانٍ } that is, either keep (the relationship) in a good manner or release (her) in an excellent way.

Sulaiman sent a marriage proposal for a female servant of Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), so Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said the same to him.

Hazrat Mughira says that I asked Ibrahim whether the predecessors used to stipulate the condition of "keeping with kindness" (imsaak bima'roof) or "releasing with good treatment" (tasreeh bi ihsan) at the time of marriage. He replied that they did not stipulate this condition, but even without stipulating it, this matter was observed.

Hazrat Dhahhak, in the commentary of the verse { وَأَخَذْنَ مِنْکُمْ مِیثَاقًا غَلِیظًا } of the Holy Quran, states that it means to keep (the wife) in a good manner (to fulfill the relationship properly) or to release (her) with kindness (to part ways with goodness).

Hazrat Yahya bin Abi Kathir, in the commentary of the verse { وَأَخَذْنَ مِنْکُمْ مِیثَاقًا غَلِیظًا } of the Holy Qur'an, states that it means to keep (the wife) in a good manner (to fulfill the relationship well) or to release (her) with kindness (to let go with goodness).

Hazrat Mujahid, in the commentary of the verse { وَأَخَذْنَ مِنْکُمْ مِیثَاقًا غَلِیظًا } of the Holy Quran, states that it refers to the contract of marriage.

Hazrat Ikrimah and Hazrat Mujahid, in the commentary of the verse { وَأَخَذْنَ مِنْکُمْ مِیثَاقًا غَلِیظًا } of the Holy Qur'an, state that it means you have taken Allah's trust from them and have made their private parts lawful for yourselves by Allah's word.

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), in the explanation of the verse of the Holy Qur'an { وَأَخَذْنَ مِنْکُمْ مِیثَاقًا غَلِیظًا }, says that it means to keep (the wife) with kindness (to live together in a good manner) or to release (her) with goodness (to let her go in a good way).